We put our bodies through a lot. With so much value placed on our appearance in an effort to generate sales for beauty companies and clothing businesses, self-love is often inaccessible for many people.
Fortunately, you don’t need to feel incredibly confident about your body in order to show your body some respect. Here are a few ways you can help to kick self-hatred to the side and show your body some consideration.
Surround yourself with art that looks like you
One of the biggest reasons why we pick our bodies apart is because we don’t often see people who look like us when we’re scrolling through Instagram or flipping through Magazines. Perfectly normal body features are smoothed out or erased in Photoshop, dark-skinned models are photographed in black and white, and thin women make up the majority representation in the media despite the average American woman having a 36″ inch waist. Hispanic and Latinx artists only make up 2.8% of the artists whose work is displayed in prominent museums.
Consider surrounding yourself with these representations of people who you see in-person every day but rarely see represented on Instagram, in print magazines, and in museums. Hang up art prints on your walls of women who look like you and have bodies like yours. Re-evaluate your idea of what beauty is.
Embrace body neutrality
The body positivity movement started off in the right place, but quickly took a turn for the worse. Body-positive advocates declared that plus-size bodies were just as beautiful as thin bodies without asking the question “Why do I feel the need to be pretty in the first place?”
According to Happiful, body neutrality steers us away from self-hate without the pressure to completely love our bodies. Body neutrality aims to shift the focus away from trying to love your body and toward reducing the importance of your body image.
For instance, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, about one-third of people in the country as unhappy with their teeth. Instead of trying to love your teeth and your smile, try focusing on just accepting the way your smile looks and respect your teeth.
“Body neutrality feels like a white flag amidst the warzone of thoughts going on in my mind,” says Becky Wright from Happiful. “I don’t have to hate or love my body, I just have to accept it as my body.”
Throw anti-aging to the curb
Just like with body positivity, it can be tricky to unlearn what society has been telling you about your body for as long as you can remember. Anti-aging products and commercials have been pushed on us for decades despite the fact that aging is completely normal. In fact, even our hormones start to decline as we age starting at just 27. For that, adults are looking into bioidentical hormone replacement therapy such as this hormone replacement therapy in Gurnee, IL or hormone replacement therapy in San Antonio, TX through clinics like Revive Wellness Group.
Instead of splurging on anti-aging serums, under-eye creams, and hair dye, consider starting to accept that you’re getting older and that that’s perfectly okay. Be kind to yourself and your body. Moisturize your skin, use sunscreen, and use the right products for your hair.
Self-love isn’t easy, but you don’t need to love everything about yourself to be kinder to yourself. You can make a step in the right direction by moving away from self-hatred and toward self-respect, instead. Remember that your body is your body and it’s only one small part of your overall self.
